Joint Venture Adds a Touch of Spice for GAR Subsidiary in India, Supporting Diversification Strategy

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Posted: Mar 07, 2025 • 2 minute read • GAR • 3 Likes

Chennai, 7 March 2025: Leading Indian oils and fats company Gemini Edibles and Fats India Limited (GEF India) has announced a joint venture with Sree Annapoorna Foods, one of the country’s oldest spice processing brands. The new partnership, GEF Foods India Pvt Ltd, will make and distribute masala spice blends, meal mixes and more across India.

GEF India, which manufactures, distributes and markets edible oils and specialty fats, is a subsidiary of Golden Agri-Resources (GAR). It is India’s top sunflower oil company, holding over 21% of all India market share with its Freedom and Be-Rite brands.

Sree Annapoorna Foods, which celebrates 50 years of operations in 2025, specialises in pure spices, regional blends and biryani masalas.

On the joint venture, Akshay Chowdhry, Group Vice President, GEF India, said, “We are thrilled to join hands with Sree Annapoorna Foods and launch GEF foods India Pvt. Ltd. Both our organisations follow the highest standards of professionalism and wish to give customers a multi-sensory experience of cooking and eating, while also relishing our rich culinary culture.”

GEF Foods India JV — Executives from GEF India and Sree Annapoorna Foods celebrate the formation of GEF Foods India Pvt Ltd. Pictured L-R: P. Chandra Shekhara Reddy, Senior Vice President – Sales & Marketing, GEF India; Akshay Chowdhry, Group Vice President, GEF India;
V. Vijay Prasad, CEO, GEF Foods India Pvt Ltd.

The partnership will support GEF India’s diversification strategy, offering a route into the branded spices sector. Sharing his thoughts, Chandra Shekhara Reddy, Senior Vice President – Sales and Marketing at GEF India said, “Sree Annapoorna Foods is an iconic brand with a rich legacy and a whole range of masalas catering to different consumer tastes. This joint venture will benefit from the deep market knowledge and distribution network of GEF India and help Annapoorna masalas grow its presence.”

Vijay Prasad, Managing Partner of Sree Annapoorna Foods and CEO of GEF Food India Pvt Ltd, celebrated the new opportunities offered by the partnership, “We are elated to partner with GEF India to deliver healthy and tasty masalas to consumers. Backed by GEF India’s strong distribution network, Annapoorna masalas will soon be available across India. With growing culinary culture, increased health awareness and the rise of e-commerce platforms, the demand for organic and premium spices is rising. The Annapoorna brand has always been synonymous with quality, and we wish to build further on that by emphasising our quality sourcing and eco-friendly packaging initiatives.”

For more information, please contact:
Andrew Compton
Corporate Communications Manager
[email protected]